Motion transmitting mechanism



KM. c. WERNER 1,986,310

MOTION TRANSMITTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1955 5 Sheets-Shet 1 Jan. 1, 1935. M C WERNER 1,986,310

MOTION TRANSMITTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 r)? I; v

Jan. 1, 1935.

M. c. WERNER MOTION TRANSMITTING MECHANISM Fil ed Sept. 5, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 the section 18 without disturbing the drive between these parts.

Between the member 18 and the ,body of the housing 20 there is an annulus 30' secured between the parts 18 and'20 by appropriate fastening devices such for example, as nuts or bolts,

by which the driving connection between the clutch plates and the intervening, clutch disk. may be interrupted, attention is invited to Figure 1 in which it is illustrated thatthe annulus 30 is provided with a hub or collar 36. to which clutch levers or fingers 38' are pivoted;

More particularly, it is the intermediatepora tions of the levers 38 that are pivoted or fulcrumedto the hub portion of the annulus 30 and the outer portions of these levers 38 are engaged with the outer surfaces of the clutch plate 16. The. clutch plate,16 is shown tobe in the form of an annulus and when retracted through operation of the levers 38 is withdrawn from pressure contact with the clutch disk 14. 1 i

5 Set screws 40 are located in the path of travel of .the levers 38 and provide a simple means for compensating for wear on various parts of the clutch. V The inner portions of the levers 38 are engaged with what might be said to be the forward surface of a collar 44, this collar being controlled by. control rods 46. The control rods 46 have operativefconnection withthe collar 44 and extend from the cockpit or other convenient place on the-aircraft-and-provide a meansby which the connection between the drive shaft 10 and the housing 20 may be de-clutched. Asillustrated in Figures 7 and -8,'-the levers 38 are movable-through slots 46'? in studs 468, the studs being mounted on the member-'30. More specifically, the studs 468 are'mounted'axially and have the outer portions thereof formed with longitudinal slots receiving the-adjacent-portions of the levers 38. Itwill'be seen that nuts 470 are threaded on the studs 468 outwardly of the levers-38 and provide a simple means-by'which the range of movement ofthe levers may be varied, That'is to say, byretracting the nuts 470 the-range ofmovement f the levers is increased On the other hand, by advancing the nuts 470 the range of movement of the levers is diminished. This provides a simple means of compensating-for wear on-the various parts of theclutch. When the collar 44 is moved for- Ward through actuation ofthe control rods 46 thelevers 38 are rocked so as to retract the clutch plate 16. Onthe other hand, when the collar 44 is moved rearward or to the right as viewed in Figure 1, the springs'32 are allowed to expandand move the clutch plate 16 to the position shown in Figure 1 where a driving connection through the clutch is established.

Coming now to the speed change feature of the invention, attention is invited to Figure 4, in..which it is illustrated that; the housing 20 is provided betweenthe ends thereof with an internal gear 50 surrounding a series of pinions 52iand in mesh. therewith. These pinions 52 are mounted between supporting annuli 54 and 56, 'stub'shafts 58ibeing'extended through the annuli, 54 and 56. and-constituting supports for-the :pini0ns.52 'j i In carrying out the invention, the pinions 52 have constant mesh with the internal ring gear 50 and removable engagement with the external teeth of a gear 60. As shown in Figure 4, the gear 60 is keyed for longitudinal or axial movement on the hub 62 of the propeller 64. The mounting of the gear 60 provides a means by which the same may be engaged with the pinions 52 or removed therefrom.

' When the gear- 60 is in engagement with the pinions 52, a driving connection is established between the housing 20 and the propeller 64. On

the other hand, when the gear 60 is moved out seen that the gear 60 is provided with an external -annular groove receiving the inwardly projecting terminal portions of fingers 70. The outer portions'of the fingers 70 are surrounded by the collar 36'and haveconnection with levers 72. The levers 72 are fulcrumed after the fashion shown in Figure 6 and have connection at the inner ends thereof with longitudinally movable links or rods 74 with the result that movement of these links 74 will bring about longitudinal movement of the gear 60,for either establishing or interrupting the drive between the member 20 and the propeller. I

It is believed to be clear that the transmission of the drive through the gears 50, 52 and 60"will operate the propeller 64at a speed greater than that of the drive shaft so as to bring about greater speed and lift on the part of the aircraft. It is important to observe that the propeller 64 is mounted on an axially tubular extension 80 of .an attaching bracket 84, the bracket being secured to a fixed part of the aircraft. By this arrangement, the weight of the propeller and the transmission is borne by a fixed part of the ,aircraft as distinguished fromthe fact that in air-'- craft: of conventional design," the propeller is keyed or otherwise secured to the crank shaft and byreason of this, the weight of'the propeller is borne by the crank shaft. I 1 The invention forming the subject of this application provides a means by which the drive between the engine and the propeller may be 'either broken onestablished at the will-of the operator; and from the cockpit; Thus, before taking off, theenginemay -b e warmed up without a-corresponding. motion on the part of the pro-. peller; When it is desired to take ofi, the clutch parts may be brought into the position suggested in Figurel tobring about a driving connection between the propeller shaft 10. and the propellers thereby-bringing about a turning of the propeller atthedesiredspeed. V 1 .Of course, in connection with theoperation. of the propeller, the parts of the transmission'should be considered. 1. s

As illustrated inFigure-l, a rotary element 193 is secured rigidly to the shaft to turn therewith and this rotary element may be in'the nature of a flywheel or a supplementalpropeller. 4 Inoperation, .it is merely necessaryto' advance the rods 46 and the annulus 44so as to rock the levers 38 and thereby retract the clutch disk16. From Figure 1 itwill be apparent that the clutch disk .16 is retracted against the tension of the coil springs 32 and when the clutch disk 16 isfretracted, of course; the rdriving engagementi between the. variousv parts is broken. When the clutch has thus been actuated :'the

gear may be engaged with the surrounding gears 52. This is made possible through the members '70, '72, and '74. When the gears have thus been engaged the clutch may beoperated to establish a driving arrangement. 7

In Figure 5, it is shown that a clockwise drive for the propeller may be brought about by the employment of a double set of gears and I07 between the internal ring gear 265 and the external gear 266. This arrangement is important when twin motors are employed, one motor having a right hand drive while the other motor has a left hand drive.

It is to be understood that the form of invention herewith shown and described is to be taken merely as a preferred example of the same and that such minor changes in arrangement and construction of parts may be made as will remain within the spirit of the invention and the scope of what is claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a structure of the class described, a bracket having means whereby the same may be secured to a relatively fixed portion of an aircraft, apropeller having a hub rotatably mounted on said bracket, a gear keyed to and slidable longitudinally with respect to the. hub of said propeller, a set of gears for engagement with said first named gear, a housing having an internal gear constantly engaged with said set of gears, means to move said first named gear axially in and out of engagement with said set of gears, and a drive shaft rotatably extending through said bracket and having driving connection with said housing.

2. In a structure of the class described, a bracket having means whereby the same may be secured to a relatively fixed portion'of an aircraft, a propeller having a hub rotatably mounted on said bracket, a gear keyed to and slidable longitudinally with respect to the hub of said propeller, a set of gears for engagement with said first named gear, a housing having an internal gear constantly engaged with said set of gears,

means to move said first named gear axially in 1 and out of-engagement with saidset of gears, a drive shaft rotatably extending through said bracket and having driving connection with said turn the housing, a propeller operated by the housing, and a bracket for supporting the housing and parts therein and the propeller and having means whereby the same may be secured to a relatively fixed portion of an aircraft.

4. In a structure of the class described, a housing having end walls, a pair of annuli between said end walls, gears carried by said annuli, said housing being provided with an internal gear in constant mesh with said first named gears, a gear inwardly of said first named gears, means for engaging and disengaging said last named gear with said first named gears, a clutch associated with said housing and having means to turn the housing, a propeller operated by the housing, a bracket for supporting the housing and parts therein and the propeller and having means whereby the same maybe secured to a relatively fixed portion of an aircraft, and a drive shaft extending through said bracket.

MARION C. WERNER. 

